Lady Luck
by Slytherin Mara
Summary: Basically it's the movie rewritten with an OC inserted, so I guess that makes it an AU, lol! Give me enough reviews and I'll make more chapters magically appear! Thanx to Telepiel for the title!
1. Beginning

Disclaimer: I don't own Pirates of the Caribbean! The only thing that's mine is my OC, Ryleigh (Lady Luck)!

I tried uploading one with a disclaimer when I realized I had forgotten it, but apparently ff.net had other ideas…lol! I wonder if it'll work this time…

A young girl of around seven ran through the streets of Tortuga, a look of fear and panic on her face. She had never been so far from home and it frightened her. Only a week and a half ago she ahd run away from her home and family back in Nassau Port. Her family had been part of the upper crust and expected her to act like a proper young lady. When her father had yelled at her after finding her running through the streets wearing trousers, she had run away from home, only to be kidnapped by a filthy, foul smelling man near the docks. He had taken her to Tortuga with the intention of selling her as a slave, but she had escaped and was now running for her life through the streets. Hopefully she could make it to the docks and stow away on a ship. It didn't matter to her where the ship was headed, just as long as it was away from the man who was chasing her.

Suddenly she tripped on a stone and fell to the ground. When she looked up, she saw a young man standing over her. He offered her his hand and helped her up, then, upon seeing a man seemingly looking for her, pulled her into an alleyway and shielded her from the man's sight.

When the man was gone, he asked, "are you okay?" The little girl nodded. "What's your name?" She still looked frightened and unsure, so the young man offered up his name first. "I'm Jack Sparrow," he said with a grin.

"Ryleigh Laurelyn Wickersham," she uttered with pride. It was obvious the girl had been nobility.

"Well, Ryleigh Laurelyn, how'd you end up on the streets of Tortuga?" he asked her.

"I, I ran away from home." Her proud façade was starting to waver.

"How old are you?" Jack asked curiously.

"Seven. How old are you?" She was starting to get some of her nerve back. Somehow she knew she was safe with Jack, so she was beginning to feel very brave.

"Eleven," he answered, smiling at how she was coming out of her shell. "Would you like to come with me?" He knew she wouldn't be safe if she stayed in Tortuga, especially if she stayed there alone, and if she came with him, at least he'd be able to protect her.

"Where?" she asked cautiously. Her trust in this young man diminished with that one simple question.

"See that big ship at the docks?" he asked. She nodded and he continued, "I'm a cabin boy on that ship, and I'm sure my Captain wouldn't mind having you along until we reach a safe port."

Ryleigh considered his proposition, and, given her options, agreed. "All right."

Jack took her back to the ship and 'until the next port' ended up being almost seven years, during which she and Jack became the best of friends.

+++++++++++++

Several years later, Ryleigh was once again running for her life through the streets, only this time she wore a wide grin and the streets were in Port Royal. She had just stolen some money from a well-to-do man, who in turn had called the Royal Navy to catch her.

"Halt!" she heard one of the officers call. _Oh yeah, that's gonna work_, she thought. She turned down an alley hoping to lose the officers, but instead found that she had run straight into a trap.

"Well, well, well," the haughty man leading the chase said as the men behind her stopped, boxing her in. "What have we here?"

Ryleigh turned to face him and smiled self-assuredly. "I'm amazed you were able to pull this off, Captain," she laughed.

"We'll see how you laugh tomorrow when we hang you," he replied. Then he approached her, signalling the others to keep their guns on her, and grabbed her right arm. He pushed up the sleeve and saw a "P" branded into her skin. "You're of a dying breed, pirate."

Still Ryleigh smiled smugly, and allowed herself to be lead away to the jail by a group of half a dozen officers. She laughed inwardly at the fact that the Captain knew he needed at least half a dozen men to prevent her from escaping. Though she knew it was possible that she could take out the half dozen, she decided it would be better to wait for the opportune moment, as Jack had once told her. Everything would work out all right in the end, she just knew it.

As she was lead down to the jail cell, she ignored the hoots and hollers from the cell next to hers, and laid down on the ground, falling quickly asleep.


	2. Lady Luck

Only a few hours later, Ryleigh awoke to the sound of a door opening upstairs. From the sounds of it another prisoner was being brought in, most likely he was another pirate. Ryleigh glanced into the cell next to her, an groaned inwardly. It was full, and that meant she would have a new cell mate shortly. She just hoped he could keep his hands to himself, as she wasn't in the mood for a fight. Moving backward, Ryleigh sat down on the ledge under the window and leaned back against the wall, watching the stairs for her new cell mate.

A man strode confidently down the stairs, smiling and taking in his surroundings. His eyes fell on Ryleigh and he smiled a toothy grin. His grin allowed Ryleigh to see that some of his teeth were gold. His long dark hair was strung with beads that clicked quietly as he walked, and he wore a red bandana on his head, over which a few pieces of hair fell. The guards approached Ryleigh's cell and pushed the man in.

"Looks like you have a new friend, miss," one of them laughed as he locked the cell then left with the others.

"Oh goody," she muttered sarcastically.

"Hello there, love," the man greeted.

Ryleigh narrowed her eyes at him and said, "you stay on your side, I'll stay on mine and we won't have any problems, savvy?"

He stared at her, a funny look on his face, then nodded and went to lay on the bed. Something about her seemed to be bothering him. Then he shot upright and looked at her. "You got a name, love?"

Instead of answering, Ryleigh pulled down the shoulder of her shirt, revealing a tattoo of two elaborately styled L's crossed by a silver dagger with a tiny sparrow on it's hilt on her upper left arm.

"Lady Luck," he muttered. Two or three of the men in the other cell gasped when the pirate muttered her name. When she was eighteen Ryleigh had adopted the moniker to hide who she really was. Over the years she had become infamous as a pirate and a thief - or relatively infamous for a female - with unfathomable luck. But she only took from those who could afford to lose what she needed, however, and she only took what she needed. "Well, it's a pleasure milady."

"Of course it is," she mumbled, leaning her head back and closing her eyes. She could feel the pirate's gaze still on her so she opened her eyes and stared expectantly at him. "What?" she prompted.

"Do you have a _real_ name, lass?" he asked.

"And why would I tell you?" she asked with a surprised half-grin.

"Fair enough," he agreed. "What if I told you mine first, love?" Ryleigh folded her arms and eyed him. The pirate got up and approached her, kneeling by her side. "Captain Jack Sparrow at you service, milady," he whispered to her.

Ryleigh's jaw dropped and her eyes went wide. "Jack?" she murmured.

"Aye, love." He reached out and tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear and said quietly, "it's good to see you again, Laurelyn."

A smiled graced Ryleigh's features at the use of her middle name. Jack was the only one she'd ever allowed to call her 'Laurelyn.' He was also the only one who knew her by that name. "I missed you, Jack," she said, still whispering because the pirates in the next cell had been trying to hear their conversation.

"You've made quite the name for yourself, milady," he said in a louder voice.

"As have you, Captain," she replied, grinning like mad.

Jack and Ryleigh talked for hours, catching up on things, and just talking and laughing. It felt almost as though they had never parted. They stopped their long conversation when Jack looked into the next cell, a mischievous twinkle in his eyes. 

"You can keep doing that forever, the dog is never going to move," he called to the pirates in the next cell. The pirates in the next cell had been calling to a dog with a pair of keys in it's mouth, and waving a bone to try and tempt it to come closer to the cell.

One of the pirates turned to Jack and said, "well, excuse us if we haven't resigned ourselves to the gallows just yet."

Jack rolled his eyes, and he and Ryleigh exchanged a knowing grin. "This could provide us with entertainment for hours, eh, love?"

"Days," she laughed. Ryleigh heard a quiet whistle outside the jail, which was quickly followed by a louder explosion that caused her to jump.

"I know those guns," Jack muttered as he jumped up onto the ledge and looked out the window. "It's the _Pearl_."

"The _Black Pearl_?" one of the pirates asked in awe. "I've heard stories. She's been preying on ships and settlements for near ten years. Never leaves any survivors." The pirate looked absolutely terrified at the thought that the_ Black Pearl_ might be here in Port Royal.

"No survivors?" Jack asked in amusement as he half turned to face the pirates. "Then where do the stories come from, I wonder?" He caught Ryleigh's gaze and stepped down from the ledge. "What is it, love?"

"What happened?" she asked. She remember when Jack first acquired the _Black Pearl_ when he was only eighteen. That had been only a few months before she left, but she knew that the _Pearl _would always have a place in Jack's heart. It seemed odd to her that someone else would be captaining the _Pearl_ and still allowed to live.

"A lot," he answered. "I'll tell you later, love."

Ryleigh was about to protest when a loud whistle broke the silence, followed by an explosion. Jack pushed her to the ground, covering her body with his as the debris fell. As soon as he knew it was safe, he stood and helped her up, and they saw a large hole in the jail wall. Unfortunately it wasn't large enough on their side. The pirates on the other side hollered with joy and ran out of the hole.

"My sympathies, friends. You've no manner of luck at all," one of the pirates bid them just before he ran out after the others.

Jack walked over to the hole and started to stare at it, as though he could will it to open just large enough for them to fit through. "You might be able to squeeze through it, love," he muttered finally. He turned back and looked at her, eyes pleading with her to leave or at least to try.

"And let you have all the fun?" she scoffed. "I'd rather stay."

"No reason for us both to go to the gallows, Laurelyn."

"We won't," she replied confidently. "Trust me. Everything works out in the end, love. After all, I'm luck incarnate." She tossed him a wink and stretched out on the cot.

Just as Ryleigh was starting to fall asleep - she thought she could hear Jack trying to tempt the dog just as the other pirates had done - a noise from the upstairs startled her back to reality. A guard came tumbling down the stairs - _dead or unconscious_, Ryleigh thought - followed closely by two pirates, one of them whining about how the jail wasn't the armoury. "Must be geniuses," she muttered.

Jack smiled at her and approached the cell door, leaning on the bars. He felt, more than heard, Ryleigh walk up behind him.

"Well, well, well, Twigg, look who we have here: Captain Jack Sparrow," one of the pirates said. Actually, it sounded more like he growled it. He was dark skinned and had paint on his face, and dreadlocked hair.

"Last time we saw you," the other one - Twigg - began, " you were all alone on a godforsaken island, shrinking into the distance. His fortunes aren't improved much." Then he eyed Ryleigh with desire burning in his eyes and amended, "or are they?"

"Try it, muttonhead," she threatened. "I dare you."

"Worry about your own fortunes, gentlemen," Jack warned, attempting to divert their attention away from Ryleigh. He stepped a bit to the right to block her from their line of vision. "The deepest circle of hell is reserved for betrayers and mutineers."

The first pirate's hand shot out, grabbing Jack by the throat. Actually, it wasn't his hand, it was his skeleton. The man's arm, or rather the part of his arm that was illuminated by the moonlight, had become nothing but bone and ragged clothes. Ryleigh gasped and took an involuntary step backward. 

"So there is a curse," Jack said calmly, perhaps a little too calmly. For all the calm in his voice, though, there was shock in his eyes. Probably because he didn't know whether the pirate intended to kill him or not. "That's interesting"

"You know nothing of hell!" the pirate boomed. With that, both pirates stormed out of the jail.

"That's very interesting," Jack mumbled to himself.


	3. Mutiny? and Escape!

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Nidalsmylover33 and Telepiel: Thanks for the reviews!

****

Telepiel: I had already written up to this point, but it's very cool that you were thinking along the same lines as me! It's nice to know that I'm doing something right! :D And that's why these updates are so fast right now! :D Actually, I have, I think, two or three other chapters written as well…I'm just trying to fix them up!

If anybody has any other ideas, I'd love to hear them! Also, creative criticism is always appreciated! J 

Ryleigh shook her head after she'd managed to recover from seeing someone's flesh seemingly disappear in the moonlight. "Mutineers?" she asked. "Jack, what's going on? Why didn't that skeleton _. . . thing_! . . . surprise you?"

"It's a long story."

She gestured around the cell. "I'm not going anywhere," she replied with a half-grin.

"You could," he said, pointing toward the hole.

"But I'm not," she replied quickly. "So tell me." Ryleigh walked over and sat down against the wall again and looked expectantly at Jack.

Jack hesitated only for a moment. He didn't want to bring Ryleigh into this, but he knew that from the moment she found out who he was, she was in it whether he liked it or not. So, he sat down beside her and told her the story right from the moment he decided to go after the treasure of Isla de Muerta up to when he was flung into the jail cell. When he finished it was morning, and they were both exhausted from lack of sleep.

"That was one hell of a story, Jack," Ryleigh muttered thoughtfully.

"You're telling me, love," he replied without looking at her. Now he was lying on the cell floor, while Ryleigh stood by the window, taking in the scene the destruction from the previous night had created.

Ryleigh crossed the cell and sat beside Jack, facing him, while Jack propped himself up on his elbows. "So, how do we get out of here, love?"

"I'm open to suggestions, Laurelyn," he replied.

"We could always pick the lock," she offered.

"With what? If you've got a set of lock picks on you, let me know, 'cause otherwise we're stuck." Ryleigh smiled conspiratorially, and looked at something on the other side of the bars. Jack got up, returning the smile in understanding. He went to the cell door and picked up the bone, breaking it into a sharp point and jamming it into the lock, attempting to pick it.

"Jack, how many locks have you _successfully_ picked in your life?" she asked, stressing the word 'successfully.'

"Enough," he grunted as he tried to pick the lock.

"Would you like me to give it a try?" she asked, her voice dripping with condescension and a smirk plastered on her face.

Turning his head, Jack glared at her, then resumed his attempt at lock picking. A noise from the top of the stairs startled them, and they both resumed their previous positions, Jack on the floor and Ryleigh at the window.

"You! Sparrow!" a young man called as he descended the stairs and came to stand in front of the cell.

"Aye," Jack answered from the floor.

"You are familiar with that ship the _Black Pearl_?" he asked.

"I've heard of it."

Ryleigh stood near the window and watched the exchange. How did Jack know this young man? Clearly, from the way the young man was acting, they weren't friends.

"Where does it make berth?"

"Where does it make berth?" Jack echoed. "Have you not heard the stories?"

_There were stories?_ Ryleigh thought to herself. How out of touch had she been that she hadn't heard them? Even that pirate in the cell beside them last night seemed to have heard them. At least this boy hadn't heard of them either. Nevertheless she was glad that Jack had explained the whole thing during the night.

"_Captain_ Barbossa," Jack began spitefully, "and his crew of miscreants sail from the dreaded Isla de Muerta, an island that cannot be found, except by those who already know where it is."

"The ship is real enough," the young man began thoughtfully, "therefore it's anchorage must be a real place." _Bright boy_, Ryleigh thought. "Where is it?"

"Why ask me?" Jack asked innocently inspecting his nails.

"Because you're a pirate," he responded as though the answer should have been obvious.

Now it became clear to Ryleigh that he hated pirates, if his venomous tone were any indication.

"And you want to turn pirate yourself, is that it?" Jack asked merrily. He was playing with the kid.

"Never!" the young man exclaimed as though the mere thought offended him. He seemed to be thinking about something, then came to a decision quickly and sighed. "They took Miss Swann."

"Ah!" Jack exclaimed. "So, it _is_ that you've found a girl!" Jack paused and considered something. "I see," he said finally. "Well if you intend to brave all, hasten to her rescue and so win fair lady's heart, you'll have to do it alone, mate. I see no profit in it for me."

Ryleigh narrowed her eyes at Jack's back. What was he doing? Even if he was that selfish - and she was pretty sure he wasn't, the Jack she had known wasn't - he'd want to go just to get the _Pearl _back. She was about to speak up when the kid beat her to it.

"I can get you out of here," he offered with little to no hesitation.

"How's that? The key's run off," Jack stated, seemingly unconcerned.

"I helped build these cells," he answered. "These are half-pin barrel hinges." He crossed the room and picked up a bench, then wedged the legs of the bench between the bars of the cell. "With the right leverage, and proper application of strength, the bars will lift free."

"What's your name?" asked Jack.

"Will Turner," the kid answered a bit reluctantly.

"That would be short for William, I'd imagine." It was more of a statement than a question.

Ryleigh crossed the cell and stood near Jack, looking down at him. _What is he up to? _she wondered.

"Good strong name," Jack complimented. "No doubt named for your father, eh?"

"Yes," Will admitted. He too seemed curious as to why Jack would bring that up, but left it alone.

"Ah-ha. Well, Mr. Turner, I've changed me mind. If you spring me - I mean, us - from this cell, I swear on pain of death I shall take you to the _Black Pearl_ and your bonny lass. Do we have an accord?" Jack stuck his hand through the bars.

"Agreed," Will accepted the hand and shook it.

"Agreed!" Jack exclaimed happily. "Now get us out!" He backed away from the doors as Turner lifted the bars free, freeing Jack and Ryleigh.

"So, who are you?" Turner asked Ryleigh, confusion on his face.

"Ryleigh's the name, but most call me Lady Luck," she introduced herself.

"You're a pirate as well?" It was half question, half statement of fact.

"Aye. Now let's get out of here. It's likely someone heard all that racket."

"Not without my effects," Jack said. He crossed the room and grabbed his things, including his one-shot pistol. Next to his belongings he saw a dagger hanging up on the wall, and stared at it. It was the same dagger that crossed the L's of her tattoo. It was also the dagger he had given Ryleigh all those years ago when they parted. He could remember the day as clearly as though it had happened yesterday.

****

_"Why can't I go too, Jack?" a fourteen year old Ryleigh asked._

"Because," eighteen year old Jack began, "it's too dangerous. I don't want you to get hurt. I won't be gone long, love. Just wait here for me, and I'll pick you up in about a month, two months at most."

"I don't want to wait two months here by myself, Jack. I can handle myself, just let me go with you," she begged.

"I know you can take care of yourself, otherwise I wouldn't leave you in Tortuga alone, Laurelyn." He stopped and pulled something out of his coat. "I want you to have this. It'll protect you while I'm not around."

Ryleigh normally hated the idea of someone protecting her, she was very independent for a fourteen year old girl, but for some reason she didn't mind Jack's protection. He was always there. She accepted the gift and unwrapped it, revealing an intricate silver dagger with the name 'Laurelyn' carved in the hilt and an equally intricate sheath with a sparrow on it. "Jack," Ryleigh breathed. "Where'd you get this?"

"Would you believe that I actually paid for it, love?" he answered with a proud smile.

Ryleigh smiled at Jack happily and strapped the dagger on. "I'll keep it always," she assured him, planting a quick kiss on his cheek.

It never occurred to Jack that she'd still have the dagger all these years later. And it still looked in near perfect condition, aside from slight wearing. He picked up the dagger and handed it to Ryleigh, catching her eyes.

"I told you I'd keep it always," she told him with a smirk as she accepted the dagger. She strapped the dagger to her thigh and turned to leave the jail, followed closely by Jack and Will.

The three slowly and cautiously made their way down to the docks, and ducked under a bridge, surveying the docking area.

"We're going to steal a ship?" Will asked. He pointed to the _Dauntless_ and asked, "that ship?"

"Commandeer," Ryleigh corrected.

"We're going to _commandeer_," Jack said as he pointed to the _Interceptor_, "_that_ ship." He paused before muttering, "nautical term." Jack turned back to look at Will and asked, "one question about your business, boy, or there's no use going: this girl. How far are you willing to go for her?"

"I'd die for her," he answered without hesitation.

"Oh good," Jack began lightly, "no worries, then."

A smile crossed Ryleigh's face as she followed Jack and Will to the row boat and crept underneath. They were about to move when they heard some redcoats coming, so they put the boat down and sat stock still. Then Jack signalled all clear and they took off.

Once they were safely underwater, Will commented, "this is either madness or brilliance."

"It's remarkable how often those two traits coincide," Jack commented offhandedly. 

"Especially around Jack," Ryleigh chuckled. Turning his head slightly, Jack glared at her. "Couldn't resist, love," she apologized, still chuckling.

Jack turned his gaze forward again. "When we reach the ship, take a deep breath and, on my signal, swim to the top, savvy?"

"Aye," Ryleigh and Will agreed simultaneously.

They reached the _Dauntless_ in no time, and Jack turned to face the other two. "Ready?" he asked. They both nodded and Jack said, "GO!" With that they released the boat and swam quickly to the surface, gasping quietly for air when they reached it. Once they had snuck aboard, they stealthily made their way across the deck toward a group of Royal Navy officers.

"Everyone stay calm! We're taking over the ship!" Jack announced.

"Aye," Will agreed. "Avast!" When Jack and Ryleigh turned to look at him strangely Will merely shrugged. Meanwhile the Royal Navy officers laughed at him.

"This ship cannot be crewed by two men," one of the officers informed the trio smugly. "You'll never make it out of the bay."

"What makes you think _I _can't help crew the ship?" Ryleigh asked, slightly offended - though, not really surprised - that they had dismissed her so easily. Truth be known, she would have been more offended if being overlooked in such a manner hadn't come in so handy in the past.

The officer stopped to look at her, a look of confusion plastered on his features. "Well, I . . ." he began.

"'Sides, mate," Jack interrupted, "I'm Captain Jack Sparrow. And this here," he gestured to Ryleigh, "is luck herself. You'll never catch us!"

Ryleigh gave the man a feral grin and took a menacing step forward. "Now, if you'll kindly get off our ship?"

The Royal Navy officers seemed confused as to what they should do, but all confusion melted away as Jack stepped up behind Ryleigh and brandished his pistol. "I believe the lady asked you to leave."


	4. You Knew My Father

So here's the thing, I posted this chapter, even though I don't really like it as much as the first three…I just wasn't really happy with the way it turned out…but maybe that's just me…I dunno. But if anybody has any suggestions on how to improve the chapter, please let me know. If you don't want to post them as a review, then feel free to email me with them! :D

On with the show, I guess! :D

"Here they come," Will informed Jack and Ryleigh. The _Interceptor_ had started toward the trio aboard the _Dauntless_ and was quickly gaining on them.

Jack grinned back at the _Interceptor_ - his plan was coming together - while Ryleigh grinned at Jack. In Ryleigh's opinion, Jack always had the best plans, the ones that were the most fun - escaping Port Royal under a row boat, for example.

The _Interceptor_ quickly approached the _Dauntless_ and Jack ordered Ryleigh and Will to get out of sight. He followed Ryleigh behind a stack of crates on the deck, and Will, after finding no other hiding place, followed, ducking behind the crates just in time.

"Let's go," Jack whispered as the Royal Navy began to pour onto the ship. He lead the way toward a trio of ropes on the _Dauntless_ that they could use to swing onto the _Interceptor_. Commodore Norrington's men swarmed the ship searching for Jack, Ryleigh and Will, as the Commodore himself shouted out orders.

"Now!" Jack whispered sharply as the last of the Royal Navy men boarded the _Dauntless_. The three grabbed the ropes and swung onto the _Interceptor_, then cut the ropes connecting the two ships and pushed the planks overboard.

Ryleigh chuckled as she heard Norrington order his men back to the_ Interceptor_. _I guess he knows what we're up to now!_ she thought to herself. She had a hard time containing her laughter when she saw a man try to swing back to the _Interceptor_, only to fall into the ocean.

"Thank you, Commodore, for getting us ready to make way. We'd have a hard time of it by ourselves," Jack shouted back to Norrington.

"Oh Jack!" Ryleigh exclaimed between the fits of laughter she was now allowing to break through. "Let's do that again! The look on Norrington's face was priceless!"

"Liked that one, did ya love?" he asked with a smirk.

"Aye," she chuckled. Her laughter was dying down now, and after it had ceased completely, Ryleigh asked, "we headed for Tortuga?"

"Aye."

Ryleigh arched an eyebrow and smirked at Jack. "Wonder how long it'll take 'em to realize we've disabled the rudder chain?"

"They must've figured it out by now, love," he snickered.

Silence reigned between the two for what seemed like forever until Ryleigh decided to break it. "Jack?" she called softly as she placed her hand on one of the pegs extending from the wheel.

Without turning his head to face her, he subconsciously moved his hand over a peg to rest on Ryleigh's. "Aye, love?"

"I really have missed you - missed sailing with you!" she exclaimed quietly, gesturing to encompass the ship.

"Me too, love," he confessed just as quietly, turning to stare into her eyes. "Me too."

"Jack I - ," Ryleigh began to whisper.

"When I was a lad living in England," Will began as he came up the steps, interrupting their reverie, "my mother raised me by herself. After she died, I came out here, looking for my father."

Ryleigh and Jack groaned simultaneously, and Ryleigh moved away from Jack to help crew the ship. "Is that so?" Jack asked, clearly not happy.

_That kid has lousy timing_, Ryleigh thought to herself, shaking her head as she descended the steps. She decided to busy herself close enough to Jack and Will that she could hear what was being said.

"My father, Will Turner," Will started. "At the jail, it was only after you learned my name that you agreed to help. Since that's what I wanted, I didn't press the matter." Will paused for a moment -_ probably for effect_, Ryleigh thought with a smirk - then continued, "I'm not a simpleton, Jack. You knew my father."

"Aye, I knew him. Probably one the few who knew him as William Turner. Everyone else just called him Bootstrap or Bootstrap Bill," Jack replied, his manner now completely serious as he talked to the boy about his father.

_Jack must have been good friends with this 'Bootstrap Bill,'_ Ryleigh thought. She continued to fiddle with some ropes and listen to what was being said.

"Bootstrap?" Will echoed.

"Good man. Good pirate," Jack informed him. "I swear you look just like him." From Jack's point of view, he was complimenting the boy and honouring the memory of his father.

Will, however, didn't see it that way. He didn't even seem to hear Jack say he looked like his father. "It's not true! My father was a sailor on a merchant ship, a good, respectable man who obeyed the law!" He didn't seem to happy about his father being a pirate, in fact, he was denying it completely.

"He was a bloody pirate! A scallywag!" Jack exclaimed, trying to get it through to the kid.

"My father was _not_ a pirate!" Will said menacingly as he pulled his sword on Jack.

"Put it away, son," Jack told him, a complete lack of concern in his voice and manner. In fact, Jack wasn't even facing him, he was just staring off into the horizon. "It's not worth you getting beat again."

"You didn't beat me, you ignored the rules of engagement," Will replied. "In a fair fight, I'd kill you." There was no fear in his demeanor, Will truly believed that he could beat Jack in a 'fair fight.'

"Then that's no incentive for me to fight fair, is it?" Jack asked, stating the obvious as he turned to face him. Then, without warning, Jack sharply turned the wheel his hands and the sail flew toward Will, knocking him over the edge of the ship. Will hung over the water, stubbornly trying to pull himself onto the sail. "Now, as long as you're just hanging there pay attention. The only rules that really matter are these: what a man can do and what a man can't do. For instance, you can accept that your father was a pirate and a good man, or you can't. But pirate is in your blood, boy, so you'll have to square with that someday." He paused a moment to let that sink in. "And me, for example, I can let you drown, but I can't bring this ship into Tortuga all by me onesies, savvy?"

"Hey!" Ryleigh exclaimed, finally deciding to throw her two cents in. "In case you've forgotten, Jack, I've made quite the name for myself as a sailor!"

"So sorry, love," he apologized. "_We_ can't bring this ship into Tortuga," he amended. Upon seeing Ryleigh's satisfied smirk, he continued, "so," the sail swung back over the ship and Will dropped onto the deck, "can you sail under the command of a pirate or can you not?" He offered Will a sword, which Will took hesitantly.

"Tortuga?" Will asked.

"Tortuga," Jack confirmed with a wide grin.

Ryleigh smiled fondly at the mention of Tortuga, thinking of the first time she had met Jack all those years ago. "Tortuga," she whispered.


	5. Well, we're here!

They arrived at Tortuga during the night and disembarked to wonder the streets for a man Jack said could find a suitable crew.

"Well, we're here," Jack announced as the three made their way through the streets of Tortuga.

"Sometimes I wonder why we ever left," Ryleigh muttered sarcastically as a drunken man leered at her. The man then got up and started to approach her. She chuckled when Jack's arm slid around her waist protectively. "I can take care of myself, Captain." After pulling Jack's arm from her waist, she sauntered over to the drunk and smiled seductively. Then quick as lightning she grabbed the bottle from his hand and hit him over the head, knocking him unconscious. Turning to Jack and Will, she smiled triumphantly and began walking toward them.

"Ryleigh, why don't you head for the pub, and get us a table and some rum?" Jack asked slowly. "Will and I'll find Gibbs."

Stopping, Ryleigh raised a questioning eyebrow and eyed Jack. "Excuse me?" she asked incredulously. "I don't take orders very well, Jack."

"Please," he begged, pressing his palms together in a gesture of appeal.

"Fine," she agreed rolling her eyes. "But you're getting your own rum!" Ryleigh marched off, quite obviously annoyed with what had just transpired.

When she reached the pub, she found a table and sat down, waiting for Jack, Will and 'Gibbs,' whoever he was. As she took in her surroundings, Ryleigh decided against having a drink - at least until Jack arrived. Being at a pub in Tortuga, alone, and a woman were not necessarily the best combination when one considered that Tortuga was mostly made up of desperate and drunk lowlifes. Instead Ryleigh waited over an hour for Jack to show up, passing the time by getting into a bar fight with a man who had tried to hit on her. In all honesty the fight only lasted about ten or fifteen minutes, but it was enough to make the other patrons think twice about trying to associate with her. The rest of the time she just sat alone in a corner looking smug.

When Jack, Will and Gibbs arrived, they found Ryleigh sitting by herself in the pub, still grinning smugly. "What happened, love?" Jack asked as he, Gibbs and Will joined her.

"Got in a fight. Won," she responded, her smile growing.

"Right, love," Jack muttered, not wanting to press the matter any further. "I'll be back with the rum." He weaved through the crowd expertly and saddled up to the bar to get the drinks, leaving the others sitting in awkward silence.

Jack returned to the table, mugs in hand, and asked Will to keep an eye out, then he approached Ryleigh. "Make sure the lad doesn't do anything . . . stupid."

"Jack," she began, "if you think I'm not sitting in on this, you're more daft than that Norrington fellow."

"Ryleigh," Jack began in an annoyed manner.

"Jack," she mocked him. The two stared at each other, each hoping the other would back down first.

When Ryleigh realized that it was pointless, she growled at Jack and narrowed her eyes at him. "Come find me when you're ready to leave," she mumbled angrily, then she turned on her heel and stormed off.

"I think I'll go after her when she's had a chance to calm down a bit," Jack told Will and Gibbs as he stared after her. He knew, though, that he was also trying to convince himself that was the best thing.

vvvvvvvvvvvv

A few hours later Ryleigh found herself wandering the docks, muttering to herself about how ridiculous Jack was, and what an idiot Jack was, and how much she hated Jack, and the like. She was extremely angry and the expression on her face, not to mention the fact that she was muttering to herself, made it plain to anyone who saw her.

"Bloody Jack! Who does he think he is anyway?" she muttered. She was so wrapped up in her thoughts that she didn't notice the man who had been following her, it took a rather loud crash to interrupt her thoughts. The bang had come when the man tripped on a lobster trap that had been dragged ashore.

Ryleigh jumped at the noise and turned to see the man pulling himself up and leering at her. "Bad night, poppet?" he asked as he approached her.

Ryleigh just glared at the man as he continued to move closer. He couldn't have picked a worse time - well, worse for him anyway.

"Not feeling very talkative, eh? Well maybe I can loosen your tongue," he suggested with a vicious grin.

"I'll tell you what: I'm actually feeling generous tonight, so I'm going to give you this opportunity to walk away."

"I don't think so, poppet," he replied darkly.

It was then that Ryleigh noticed several other men approaching and surrounding her. There was no way out. "Great," she muttered as she felt the first hints of fear. She, however, ignored her fears and continued to glare at the men. When they were close enough that she could smell their foul breath, Ryleigh assumed a fighting posture and readied herself for what was to come. As hard as it was, she tried not to think about how badly she'd lose against nearly a dozen men.

The first of the men sprung toward her and Ryleigh rolled underneath him, standing up to punch the next one square in the nose. She kicked the next attacker between the legs, and continued putting up a good fight for a while, but she could only hold off her attackers for so long - nobody could last long with eleven to one odds. As she was just about to flip one of her attackers off the dock into the water, another one approached from behind and pinned her arms behind her back. A third man used this as an opportunity to pin her legs to the ground and flip her onto her back.

With nothing else to do Ryleigh took a deep breath and was just about to scream when she heard a gunshot go off, and felt the man pinning her legs let go. She wrestled free from the other man's grasp and saw the one who was pinning her legs tumble off the dock, obviously dead. Ryleigh turned her head to her right and saw Jack standing not too far off, still aiming his pistol. She felt her fears dissolve, but showed nothing on her face.

Jack cocked the gun and said, "I think you'd best be leavin', savvy?" His expression and tone were dark.

The pirates exchanged glances, then, having no weapons of their own, decided the best course of action was to leave, since none of them wanted to get shot so that the others might have a good time. They all ran off as quick as their legs would take them.

Jack put the pistol on his belt, then approached Ryleigh. "You alright, love?" he asked, concerned. He offered her a hand and pulled her up off the dock.

"I'm fine, Jack," she answered once she was standing. She found that she could not look up at him. For some reason the wooden planks that formed the dock seemed genuinely interesting at the moment.

"Ryleigh?" he prompted. It was clear that he didn't believe her.

"What do you want me to say, Jack?" she asked tiredly as she finally looked up at him. She searched his eyes and found a truly heartfelt concern for her well being. When he didn't respond, she asked, "should I tell you I was scared? What about if I said I shouldn't have run off? Maybe that's why this happened: because I'm too damned stubborn and pigheaded, and I wasn't paying attention!"

Jack took a step closer and cupped her face with his hand, softly stroking her cheek with his thumb. "You're no more pigheaded than I am, love," he told her. "And it's no more your fault than mine."

"Jack, it's not your fault," she almost laughed sadly.

"You're right. It's their fault," he told her, nodding in the direction her attackers ran off. "If you have to blame somebody, it should be them."

Ryleigh chuckled quietly and smiled at Jack. "Thank you," she whispered still smiling happily. He had managed to make her feel better about what had happened, and for that she was eternally grateful.

"You're welcome, Laurelyn," he replied, kissing her forehead then pulling her close for a hug.

Wrapping her arms around his middle, Ryleigh leaned her head on his shoulder and smiled. "Jack?" she called.

"Aye?"

Ryleigh pulled back and looked at him with smile on her face and in her eyes. It was at that moment that she realized she was beginning to have feelings for him - hell, they'd almost kissed the other day. With that realization her posture became rigid and she backed away slightly. "We should go," she mumbled as she pushed past him.

"Aye," he agreed sadly. He stared out at the water briefly before turning and following Ryleigh.


	6. An ablebodied crew?

Thanks to everyone who reviewed my story! You guys are awesome! I know this is a short chapter, but I promise to make the next one longer! Oh, and I know I promised to clear up the pistol thing in this chapter, but I lied. I just wanted to get an update, but I'll explain the pistol in the next chapter for sure!

The next morning Jack, Ryleigh, and Will met the crew Gibbs had picked out at the docks. A rag-tag group of men stood on the docks awaiting Jack's approval. Ryleigh found it difficult not to chuckle at the men that stood before them - there was quite the variety.

"Feast your eyes, Captain," Gibbs began proudly, gesturing toward the crew he had gathered. "All of them, faithful hands before the mast. Every man worth his salt, and crazy to boot."

"_This_ is your able-bodied crew?" Will asked disbelievingly.

Jack walked down the dock, inspecting his crew. "You, sailor!" he bellowed, coming to a stop in front of a man with a parrot on his shoulder.

"Cotton, sir," Gibbs informed him.

"Mr. Cotton," Jack addressed the man. "Do you have the courage and fortitude to follow orders and stay true in the face of danger and almost certain death?" he rambled off flawlessly. Ryleigh was surprised that he hadn't stumbled on the sentence at all. Upon receiving no answer, Jack shouted, "Mr. Cotton! Answer me!"

"He's a mute, sir," Gibbs filled in. "Poor devil had his tongue cut out, so he trained the parrot to talk for him. No one's yet figured how . . ."

Jack nodded and started to take a step forward, but turned back to Cotton. "Mr Cotton's . . . Parrot," he started, almost stringing the words together, "same question."

"Wind in the sails! Wind in the sails!" the parrot squawked.

"Mostly we figure that means 'yes,'" Gibbs told Jack.

"Of course it does," Jack and Ryleigh replied at the same time. They exchanged an amused glance, and Jack turned to Will. "Satisfied?"

"Well, you've proved they're mad," Will muttered glibly.

"Not a difficult task, boy," Ryleigh joked quietly.

Jack was about to say something when he was cut off by a voice calling from not too far down the dock, "and what's the benefit for us?"

Ryleigh snickered as she watched Jack cautiously, if somewhat comically, walk down the dock to find the owner of the voice. He carefully approached and pulled the person's hat off, revealing a dark haired, dark skinned woman.

"Anamaria!" he exclaimed happily.

She slapped him in response, sending his head spinning around so that he was facing Will, and Ryleigh was finding it increasingly difficult not to laugh out loud.

"I suppose you didn't deserve that one either?" Will quipped.

"No, that one I deserved," Jack answered.

Anamaria nodded her head in agreement and cried, "you stole my boat!" Each word had been punctuated.

"Actually," Jack began before receiving another slap that sent his head facing Will again. "Borrowed! Borrowed without permission," he clarified. "But with every intention of returning!"

"But you didn't!" she shouted back at him, again punctuating her words.

"You'll get another one," Jack replied as a pure reflex. It was obvious that he hadn't thought this out.

"I will," she replied dangerously.

"A better one!" Will interjected.

"A better one," Jack confirmed with short-lived relief.

Ryleigh laughed when she realized that the boy was getting back at Jack, but was quickly silenced by stares from Jack and Anamaria. "Sorry," she mumbled, still trying to hold in the laughter.

Will smirked and brought everyone back to the conversation saying, "that one." He pointed to the _Interceptor_, docked off shore not too far away.

"That one?" Jack asked angrily, nearly growling the question. Will cheerily raised his eyebrows in response, and Jack turned back to Anamaria. "Aye. That one!" he exclaimed with false cheer. "What say you?"

Anamaria seemed to consider this for a moment, then shouted, "aye!" The rest of the crew chimed in with their own "aye's," and began preparing to leave.

Gibbs approached Jack, thinking Ryleigh and Anamaria to be out of hearing range. "It's frightful bad luck to have one woman aboard, sir, let alone two."

Ryleigh, however, heard Gibbs and approached. "Why is that?" she asked. Gibbs seemed dumbstruck, so she continued, "it appears you can't give me a good answer. I'm going, Gibbs, like it or not." She turned and started to help the crew.

Jack felt Gibbs come up behind him and, anticipating his remark, said, "it'd be far worse not to, Mr. Gibbs."


	7. A Bad Plan, and Catching Up!

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Disclaimer: I don't own PotC! I own Ryleigh, and that's it!

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Notes: Okay, once again I lied…but this time it was about the length of the chapter. I actually think this one might, but shorter! lol. Oh well! I just wanted to put this part up! This DOES explain the pistol, for those of you who were wondering ;)

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To my reviewers: I'm so glad you guys like the story! :D Thanks so much for your reviews! :D Please go read some of Telepiel's stuff, and the story we co-wrote under the name Celeb Peredhil…it's not finished yet, okay, so technically we've only started it, but we'll get there! lol

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Telepiel: You're right, we have started practically co-authoring our stories! lol.

Okies, here we go!

Once they were underway, Ryleigh awkwardly approached Jack at the helm - they had not spoken much since the previous night.

"Jack?" she called quietly.

"Aye, love?"

"I, uh, I just wanted to, uh, thank you again . . . for last night," she replied, staring at everything on the ship, except Jack.

"You already thanked me, love. No need to do it again," he told her.

"All right," she agreed with a nod, bringing her gaze back to him. "Next order of business, then." Her expression turned angry as she smacked Jack's arm. "What about Barbossa?"

Jack looked completely lost. "Well, you see, love, I thought we'd find him, kill him, and take back me ship."

"And just how are you planning on killing him without your pistol? Only had one shot, remember?" She smacked his arm again.

"Ow!" he exclaimed, rubbing his arm. "Would you please stop hitting me!"

"No!" Another smack.

"I didn't use _my_ bloody pistol!" he shouted back at her. There was a brief pause before he continued. "There were actually twelve of them following you, you know. I knocked out the straggler and took his pistol." His voice was more subdued now.

"Then why didn't you bloody help me earlier!"

"Because I didn't want you to get angry with me!" They were back to shouting now. "Clearly that plan backfired!" They stood in silence for a few moments, just glaring at one another in a staring contest. Jack blinked first and said quietly, "I thought you were handling yourself pretty well, so I decided to wait and see if you could handle it alone. You'd only have been angrier with me if I'd helped you when you didn't need it, love."

"True enough, I suppose," she conceded with a lopsided grin. "Sorry I smacked your arm."

"You bloody well should be!" he exclaimed softly, trying to look hurt. "That hurt!"

"I'm not falling for it, Jack," she chuckled. "I'm going to get back to work now, but do me a favour?"

"Aye?"

"Try not to anger anymore women today, hmm?" she called over her shoulder as she bounded down the stairs, smiling.

She heard Jack quietly mocking her voice, "try not to anger any more women." Then he shouted after her, "it's only yourself and Anamaria aboard anyway!"

Ryleigh chuckled to herself as she resumed cleaning the cannons.

++++++++++++

Ryleigh emerged back into the storm from the lower decks of the ship with a length of rope and tossed it to Will, who replaced the rope that had broken on one of the cannons. She then fought her way up the stairs toward Jack, clinging to one of the railings for support.

"Why the bloody hell are we fighting our way through this storm?" she shouted at Jack.

His only response was to offer her a toothy grin and resume navigating the ship through the storm.

Ryleigh sighed, knowing Jack wouldn't give up anytime soon, and turned to go back down the stairs, only to find Gibbs pushing his way up them.

Gibbs eyed her warily, and she smiled the same toothy grin Jack had just given her in return. Then he turned his attention to Jack, and advised, "we should drop canvas, sir!"

"She can hold a bit longer," Jack replied without looking at him.

"What's in your head that's put you in such a fine mood, Captain?" Gibbs asked.

"We're catching up!"

Ryleigh eyed Jack - his eyes remained fixed on the horizon and a strange fire seemed to have lit in them. His excitement showed clear as day. She smiled and went back to helping the crew.


End file.
